Vale Graham Thorpe

Widely regarded as one of the leading batters of his generation, Thorpe made 100 Test appearances for his country, additionally featuring in 82 One-Day International matches.

Making his debut for Surrey in 1988, Thorpe played 341 first-class matches across a sparkling career, spanning 17 years at the elite level.

A formidable left-hander, Thorpe made his Test debut for England in 1993 against Australia, becoming just the 14th Englishman to score a century on Test debut.

Thorpe amassed a total of 6,744 Test runs (at an average of 44.66), including a remarkable 16 centuries for England, before his retirement in 2005.

Following the end of his playing career, Thorpe pivoted into coaching, recruited by then Cricket NSW Chief Executive, David Gilbert, to join CNSW.

Accepting an assistant coaching position with Cricket NSW in 2006, Thorpe played a key role in developing the state’s talent, coaching the NSW Second XI side, working under the guidance of NSW head coach, Trevor Bayliss.

A popular and highly-respected member of the coaching staff, Thorpe worked closely with a number of future NSW and Australian stars, including Steve Smith, David Warner and Usman Khawaja.

Returning home to England following the 2007/08 season, Thorpe took up roles with his former county side, Surrey, and the ECB, later appointed assistant coach of the England national side.